Episode 1

Helen Scales defines molluscs, producers of shells and one of the most ancient and successful animal groups on the planet.

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Marine biologist Dr Helen Scales tells the story of seashells; from the molluscs that create them to the humans who have used them as jewellery, symbol and even currency.

Episode 1Helen Scales defines 'molluscs', one of the most ancient and successful animal groups on the planet.

Written and read by Helen ScalesAbridged by Sian PreeceProducer: Eilidh McCreadie

Helen Scales' doctorate involved searching for giant, endangered fish in Borneo; she's also tagged sharks in California, and once spent a year cataloguing all the marine life she could find surrounding a hundred islands in the Andaman Sea. Helen appears regularly on BBC Radio 4 on programmes such as 'Inside Science' and 'Shared Planet' and has presented documentaries on topics such as whether people will ever live underwater, the science of making and surfing waves and the intricacies of sharks' minds.